Disorderedness, panic and their beleaguered sister violence, have callously made our lives, as that of living in a hell. No matter which channel you log onto on your television, you are bound to come across a headline entitled ‘a bomb explosion’ or ‘a suicide attack’. These racketeering’s and explosions have become so common that one wonders if there is something much more to them than meets the eye; something that maybe increases our bank balance or brings stability to one’s poverty stricken, drug afflicted and food deprived family. But sadly there isn’t. These guys are aimlessly blowing their brains off and in the process leaving dozen a families grief-stricken and heartbroken.
Not so far behind is the day to day mobile and wallet snatching incidents, the car and the bike jacking phenomenons and the trade of the mill kidnap for ransom case. We, may Allah forgive us for our numbness, have become so accustomed at hearing about these events that they tend to have no effect on us. None at all. That is, until and unless, it befalls upon us, or at those who are close and dear to us.
One might have hoped for a reduction in these crimes, since Ramadan is around. But there seems to be no holding back. Those devils of a people, with minds mundane and hearts selfishly darkened, apparently don’t have any respect for any kind of religious, cultural, historical or traditional festivities whatsoever.
A friend of mine, along with his father (aged about 68), was going to see an aunt of his. Iftaar was just around the corner. They had travelled a few paces, when they found their way blocked by two motorcycles. The occupants motioned them to stop and move over to the side of the road. My friend, his heart throbbing fearfully, did as he was told. The men took away his wallet and the mobile phone and then moved over to his dad’s side, to threaten for more. Now it so happens that the mirror on the side of my friend’s father was not in a working condition and since the car was an automatic one, it couldn’t be scrolled down. The thieves wouldn’t take anything else but an obeying command as an answer, and seeing no response from the old men, fired once, twice, three times into the mirror, blowing it to smithereens. It ruptured strikingly, shards flying everywhere and hitting both my friend and his father painfully.
The robbers fled off, leaving behind an injured old man, a sobbing and panicky young lad, a bullet riddled car and an aunt who was waiting somewhere unknown, happily anticipating the arrival of her beloved relatives.
The father got a bullet shot at his hand. It had passed right through the flesh and the wound bled endlessly. (Noteworthy is the fact that he was a patient of sugar already, and had had a heart attack once before). He was in so agonizing a pain that his son couldn’t stand the side. Thankfully though he recovered his composure, drove off to a nearby hospital, where after bandaging and minor cleansing, an orthopedic surgeon took over the matters. Sharpenals were removed, all but one, which seemed to have been lodged in a critical area and couldn’t be operated upon. Praise is to Allah though, for he miraculously saved both of their lives or who knows what might have happened. The father is recovering well. (It needs to be mentioned here that the entire family had suffered a rather grievous tragedy just a year back. The eldest of my friend’s brother’s, a pilot, had died in a plane crash, leaving behind a young widow, a 6 year old son and a 8 year old daughter).
I remember crying inconsolably at his brother’s funeral though I don’t know why. I wasn’t friends with him and had hardly met him. Maybe it was just the way he died or his mother’s heart wrenching wails that had me weeping copiously.
The system it seems has failed to deliver. It has been at fail since times unknown and would continue to do so miserably until and unless there is a miracle. Yes. A miracle. For sorely enough, I must concede that there isn’t a single individual in sight who’s got what it takes to curb this lawlessness and instability that has engulfed our nation. Internal strives, calls for new provinces, ethnic prejudices, raucous blackmailing and fraud and humungous induction charges don’t portray a bright future, do they? The end is nigh.
Or is it?
Are we willing?
Willing to sacrifice our causes for the sake of our country? Willing to embark upon a mass uprising for freedom? Freedom from the plethora of corrupted politicians, bribed bureaucrats, a sold and fraudulent constitutional hierarchy and above all, freedom from ignorance and an apathetic mindset. Are we willing?
Maybe what we all are waiting for is a brother to die, a sister to get wounded, a father to be bullet riddled and a mother to weep and shriek incoherently. Maybe then we’ll realize what’s at stake. Maybe then we’ll retaliate, and maybe, just maybe, RISE for a change.
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